MONSTER

05.15.13

Lawyers: Castro to Plead Not Guilty

Ariel Castro. (Cuyahoga County Jail/AP)

Lawyers for Ariel Castro, the man accused of kidnapping and imprisoning three Cleveland women for over a decade, said he will plead not guilty. Attorneys Craig Weintraub and Jaye Schlachet said their client has been portrayed has been wrongly depicted as a “monster” in the media, and they find it wrong that “the media and the community want to demonize this man before they know the whole story.” Weintraub said Castro had not admitted anything to him, including the kidnappings—and Schlachet said Castro is “extremely committed to the well-being and positive future of his daughter, who he loves dearly.” Castro, 52, is being held on $8 million bail on charges of rape and kidnapping of Michelle Knight, Gina DeJesus, and Amanda Berry, who gave birth to a daughter while in captivity.